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Radon is Second Leading Cause of Respiratory Death behind Smoking |
The EPA has designated January as National Radon Action Month, a time
when state radon programs and other partners conduct special radon
outreach activities and events across the country. Some 20,000 people
will die this year due to breathing too much radon without even knowing
it. The aim of National Radon Action Month is to increase the public's
awareness of radon, promote radon testing and mitigation, and advance
the use of radon-resistant new construction practices.
In 2005, the U.S. Surgeon General warned the American public about the risks of breathing indoor radon by issuing a national health advisory. The advisory is meant to urge Americans to prevent this silent radioactive gas from seeping into their homes and building up to dangerous levels. Radon can be detected with a simple test and fixed through well-established venting techniques.
Radon is an invisible, odorless and tasteless gas, with no immediate health symptoms, that comes from the breakdown of uranium inside the earth. Simple test kits can reveal the amount of radon in any building. Those with high levels can be fixed with simple and affordable venting techniques. According to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates, one in every 15 homes nationwide have a high radon level at or above the recommended radon action level of 4 picocuries per liter of air.
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